The ASNMSU Rules Committee convened on Oct. 8, 2024, to discuss Resolution 13, which was a preliminary step in impeaching ASNMSU President Ala Alhalholy.
Senator Kolby Taylor presented the resolution, where he cited the move was not personal, but based on concerns that he and several other association members shared. Before the resolution was brought up for discussion, members voted to keep the meeting open to the public. Senator Taylor noticed the tension in the room once proceedings began.
“You can cut the tension in the air with a knife,” he said.
Taylor mentioned the resolution was not intended to be a personal attack on Alhalholy, as he referred to her as a friend. However, he cited several concerns that were brought to his attention from other senators and from others outside of ASNMSU. Within the resolution, he said she was accused of, abuse of power, nepotism, violating the code of ethics and lack of leadership.
Kolby then encouraged the committee to save time by passing the resolution and leaving the rest of the debate for the next senate meeting. He then yielded his time to President Alhalholy who took the floor and addressed the resolution and refuted the idea that a sizable amount of people were concerned, as Kolby mentioned.
“No one had talked to me about this resolution and the concerns being raised,” Alhalholy said.
She said she was seeing the resolution at the same time the committee was seeing the resolution and she encouraged the committee to ask her questions concerning the matters in the impeachment resolution.
“I want to be transparent with all of you and I want to have an open dialogue, but at the end of the day I am human.” she said. “ASNMSU is a place for us to learn and grow.”
Alhalholy emphasized that she wanted to maintain a conversation about the issues raised and remain transparent.
Kolby then took to the floor to reiterate that although his name stands alone on the resolution, there was a collection of students who drafted the resolution. However, they did not want to disclose their names. The Rules Committee took a vote to table the resolution.
This is a developing story.
Pistol Pete • Oct 17, 2024 at 6:21 PM
Former ASNMSU senator (2016-2019) and current graduate student here. I am saddened the association has continued to fall apart over the years and the senate has severely lost the high standard of decorum it once had and would rather engage in petty politics than serve students. If I didn’t have a full-time job already, I would keep running for office.
Derek Wilmott • Oct 17, 2024 at 4:35 AM
What is happening at NMSU? What are the “concerns” that these students have brought forward and why don’t they stand by what they are perhaps insinuating? As an alumn, I am saddened to think that a person being accused, has little recourse to defend themselves. ASNMSU can and should do better.